"The Big Bang Theory" stars Mayim Bialik and Kunal Nayyar made a
surprise appearance at the show's San Diego Comic-Con panel on
Friday.

The panel peeled the curtain back on the show’s history and
making, and featured its Emmy Award-winning writers and creators
Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady. Nayyar, who plays shy, effeminate
astrophysicistRaj Koothrappali, joined the panel as
moderator.

Early in the discussion, Nayyar asked the writers whether or not
they read any of the multitudes of "Big Bang Theory" fan fiction
floating around on the internet. Writer and producer Steve
Holland said that once they opened Pandora's box, the writers
became addicted to it.

"We kind of got wrapped up in it," said Holland, who admitted to
reading it out loud in the writers' room.

One story that caught their interest took place during a season
eight episode titled "The Prom Equivalency," and followed the
off-camera escapades of Amy Fowler, Bialik’s brilliant, quirky
neurobiologist character.

"It started out as a joke," Holland says, "then we got into the
story."

At this point in the panel, Bialik was welcomed on stage and
invited to read some original fan fiction — penned by the show’s
writers — that captures a heated moment between her and Nayyar’s
characters. They took to the podium, cleared their throats, and
stood close.